Sensory Endovascular Robot

Project Information

SER

Grant agreement ID: 190123213

DOI

10.3030/190123213

Project closed

EC signature date 28 April 2022

Start date 1 May 2022

End date 31 July 2024

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 3 559 093,75

EU contribution

€ 2 491 365,63

Coordinated by

UAB INOVATYVI MEDICINA
Lithuania

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SER (Sensory Endovascular Robot)

Reporting period: 2023-05-01 to 2024-07-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

We have developed a smart, sensory, teleoperated robotic system for endovascular procedures – Sentante. Using a robotic system doctors may perform the full endovascular intervention from a different room, in the future – even from a different hospital. Tele-operated robotic system completely eliminates X-ray radiation for all medical personnel and provides new functionalities enabled by robotic technology – extreme precision, motion scaling, enhanced instrument control, superior X-ray visualisation, among others. Intuitive controls and universal compatibility with marketed endovascular devices make Sentante ideal for fast implementation into the routine clinical workflow with almost no additional training for doctors. Patients will benefit from better access to treatment, particularly in urgent cases with no need for patient transportation from a local hospital. Hospitals will benefit from optimized 24/7 service, the ability to retain experienced doctors, attract more patients. AI implementation and partial automatization of some of the procedures are planned for the future.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The main technical objective of the SER project was to develop the Sentante endovascular robot system from the pre-project β prototype (TRL6) to a system ready for clinical trial (TRL7). During the project, we have successfully developed Sentante robotic system for peripheral endovascular interventions. Sentante system was optimized for different endovascular devices and peripheral procedures. Intuitively controlled using conventional endovascular instruments as the interface, the system senses operators’ movements and provides close to natural haptic force feedback – while working remotely, physicians can experience the same sensation of guidewire and catheter resistance in real time just as if they were working near the patient.
The Sentante system was successfully validated in number of pre-clinical tests (cadaver tests, animal tests, GLP animal study) as well as first in human clinical trial. The system will receive CE mark after the project and will be commercialized in the EU and the US markets.
New patent applications were submitted to protect relevant IP.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Sentante is the first tele-operated endovascular robot in the world which is capable of performing an entire endovascular procedure, thus enabling telemedicine. Sentante has unique features that makes tele-intervention possible: it is compatible with most standard of the shelf endovascular instruments and it is capable to manipulate 3 over the wire instruments simultaneously, allowing an entire procedure – from very beginning to very end to be performed robotically.

Sentante does not change clinical workflow or instruments used in the procedure. It just enables remote work for the doctor. While working remotely, doctors work the same way they are trained to - the interface with the robot is via the same instruments as in a manual procedure and haptic force feedback allows to feel the catheter and guidewire resistance just as if they would work manually next to a patient.

Sentante robotic system transforms the way endovascular procedures are performed - it allows performance of the entire endovascular procedure remotely:
- Enabling telemedicine and 24/7 coverage;
- Improving hospital efficiency (cost optimisation, specialisation, digitisation);
- Improving the procedure (increasing accuracy and precision, reducing medical error):
- Empowering physicians - superb control of the procedure with haptic feedback and new functionalities;
- Providing an ergonomic, remote workplace without x-ray exposure to medical personnel.